Snow thrower



July 24, 1962 w. s. HOWE, JR 3,045,369

SNOW THROWER Filed Oct. 21, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS WILLIAM S. HOWE, JR.

tates The present invention relates to snow removing devices and more particularly to snow throwers of the rotary type wherein a bladed rotor is arranged to project the snow through a discharge chute.

Snow throwers of the self-powered type, comparable in size to a power lawn mower, have generally proved efiective in handling snow falls of light to moderate depth, particularly where the snowis dry and powdery. if the snow is at all wet, difficultie s are encountered through packing or clogging of the snow so as to obstruct the free discharge through thechute. Such clogging has been undesirable, both from the standpoint of effectiveness of the thrower and also because of the hazard involved, due to the possibility of injury to the operator through attempting to dislodge the packed snow without stopping the mechanism.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide, in a snow thrower of conventional configuration, means readily actuated by the operator from a position remote from the whirling blades to dislodge the packed snow quickly and effectively without interrupting the normal operation of the apparatus.

In the drawings illustrating the invention according to a preferred embodiment,

FIG. 1 is a representation in side elevation, partly in I section, of a typical snow thrower in which the snowdislodging means is incorporated.

FIG. 2. is a top plan view, partly in section, looking down into the discharge chute at the snow-dislodging means.

The snow thrower is of the type employing a helically bladed rotor 12 mounted transversely at the front end of the thrower. The rotor shaft 14 is journaled in bearings 16 carried by the side plates 18 of the semi-cylindrical housing 20 within which the rotor operates. The housing is provided with shoes or skid strips 22 to position the housing with its lower edge close to the ground as the snow thrower is advanced. The rotor housing 20 is mounted at the forward end of the machine frame which comprises side plates 24, on the top of which the conventional small air cooled gasoline engine, shown schematically at 26, is mounted. Conventional driving connections, not illustrated, extend from the engine to the helical rotor and to the wheels 2 8 at the rear of the frame 24. The usual guiding handle 30 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the frame.

In accordance with conventional practice, the rotor 12 is made up of helical sections of opposite hand or sense so that when the rotor is driven in counterclockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1, the snow is propelled inwardly from each end toward the central region of the rotor. In this region flat blade portions 36 are provided to impel the snow at high velocity upwardly through the tangential discharge passage 38 in the upper central portion of the housing 20. Again in accord with conventional practice, a curved discharge hood 40 having a pivoted ti-p portion 42 is mounted on the top of the housing 20 in alignment 3,h45,369 Fatented July 24, 1962 powdery, to collect on the walls and particularly the rear wall of the tangential discharge passage 38. Such buildup, which mayalso occur within the lower portion of the rotatable discharge hood 4%), results in obstructing the discharge of snow from the rotor and markedly reduces the distance the snow is thrown from the chute.

The present invention provides means by which the snow, whenever there is any build-up in the tangential discharge passage '38, may be quickly and safely dislodged to clear the passage, without stopping the motor and with' out interrupting the snow clearing operation. This is made possibleby the provision of a member within the passage adapted to be agitated oractuated by the operator from the rear of the machine or other safe position to loosen the snow by scraping action or by changing the shape of the passage. In the illustrative embodiment a clapper plate 52 is pivotally mounted within the passage so as to form the rear Wall thereof when the plate is in retracted vertical position. A hinge 54 provides the pivotal connection between the lower edge of the plate 52 and the adjacent portion of the housing 20. To actuate the plate, a push rod 56 is mounted in a horizontal position so as to extend rearwardly to a point under the handle 30 where it may conveniently be kicked or pushed by the foot of the operator on the pedal plate 58. The rod is supported in brackets 60 for sliding movement, with stop collars 62 and return spring 64 to impart retracting movement to the rod and plate. The forward end of the rod makes pivotal connection to a bracket 66 secured to the rear face of the plate 52. An enlarged passage or slot in the support 60 nearest the plate avoids any tendency of the rod 56 to bind as the plate is rocked about its hinge pivot 54.

The operation of the clapper plate to clear the discharge chute is readily performed by a kick or push on the pedal 58 without interrupting the operation of the machine. As the plate moves forwardly and downwardly into close proximity to the rotor, the snow that has built up on the surface is dislodged by the impact of the operators kick or is scraped away by contact with the rotor, and at the time any snow that may havebeen built up in the discharge chute just above the plate is broken away. As the tangential discharge passage 38 in the housing 20 is of rectangular configuration as shown in FIG. 2, it is apparent that the plate is effective to scrape snow from the side walls of the passage in its forward and downward swinging movement. Upon completing the forward clearing motion, the plate returns to its upward position under the action of the return spring 64 to leave the tangential discharge passage free and clear for the discharge of snow from the rotor upwardly into the directing hood.

Under some conditions, the clapper plate may need to be actuated only occasionally during a snow clearing operation, while if the snow is sticky, the passage may have to be cleared at frequent intervals. The ease of operation of the clapper plate makes it practical to operate the snow thrower under snow conditions where a snow thrower not so equipped would be ineffective because of the need for repeated shut downs to clear the discharge passage with a stick or other object.

I claim as my invention:

1. .In a snow-thrower having a bladed rotor, a housing partially enclosing the rotor, a frame extending rearwardly of the rotor, the rotor housing having a generally rectangular upwardly directed passage for the discharge of snow from the rotor, a discharge hood rotatably mounted on the rotor housing and having a passage aligned with the discharge passage in said housing, snow-dislodging means within the discharge passage in the rotor housing comprising a generally rectangular plate having a Width approximating the width of the housing passage, means pivotally supporting the plate adjacent the passage in the discharge hood for swinging movement about its bottom edge from a generally vertical position forming one wall of the housing passage and aligned with the discharge hood passage into a position adjacent the rotor for the dislodging of snow from the plate by contact with the rotor, and actuating connections outwardly of the passage for swinging the plate within the passage, said connections including resilient means for returning the plate to retracted position following operation of the actuating connections to swing the plate within the passage.

2. In a snow-thrower having a bladed rotor, a housing partially enclosing the rotor, a frame extending rearwardly of the rotor the frame having a handle for guiding the snow thrower as the operator walks behind the thrower, the rotor housing having a generally rectangular upwardly directed passage for the discharge of snow from the rotor, a discharge hood rotatably mounted on the rotor housing and having a passage aligned with the discharge passage in said-housing, snow-dislodging means within the discharge passage in the rotor housing comprising a generally rectangular plate having a width approximating the width of the housing passage, means pivotally supporting the plate adjacent the passage in the discharge hood for swinging movement about its bottom edge from a generally vertical position forming one wall of the housing passage and aligned with the discharge hood passage into a position adjacent the rotor for the dislodging of snow from the plateby contact with the rotor, and actuating connections for said plate comprising a rod extending rearwardly of the snow-thrower and generally beneath the handle to a position accessible for kicking by the operator from time to time to dislodge snow from the discharge passage as the operator walks behind the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,138 Small et a1 Apr. 28, 1891 1,616,835 Wagoner Feb. 8, 1927 1,923,444 La Clair Aug. 22, 1933 2,545,470 Kear Mar. 20, 1951 2,735,199 Wanner et al Feb. 21, 1956 

